RECOMMENDED MINIMUM TELEMETRY FREQUENCY SPACING WITH CPFSK, CPM, SOQPSK, AND FQPSK SIGNALS

Abstract

This paper will present equations for calculating the minimum recommended frequency separation of two digital telemetry signals. The signals can be filtered continuous phase frequency shift keying (CPFSK), multi-h continuous phase modulation (CPM) [1], shaped offset quadrature phase shift keying-Telemetry Group (SOQPSK-TG, aka SOQPSK-A*) [2], or Feher’s patented quadrature phase shift keying FQPSK-B (or FQPSK-JR [3]). The equations are based on measured data in an adjacent channel interference (ACI) environment for filtered CPFSK (aka PCM/FM), multi-h CPM (or CPM for short), SOQPSK-TG, FQPSK-JR, and FQPSK-B. This paper is an extension of my 2001 and 2002 International Telemetering Conference papers on this topic [4, 5]. The quantity measured was bit error probability (BEP) versus frequency separation at a given signal energy per bit to noise power spectral density ratio (Eb/No). The interferers were CPFSK, CPM, SOQPSK-TG or FQPSK-B (-JR) signals. The results presented in this paper will be for a desired signal bit rate of 1 to 20 Mb/s, one interferer 20 dB larger than the desired signal (a few tests included two interferers), and various center frequency spacings, interfering signals, receivers, and demodulators. The overall ACI test effort has collected data sets at several bit rates and with one and two interferers. The results will be useful to system designers and range operators as they attempt to maximize the number of Mb/s that can be simultaneously transmitted with minimal interference in the telemetry bands.